Electric switch



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

A. T. MAGCOY. ELECTRIC SWITGH.

(No Model.)

Patented Apr 10, 1894.

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(No Model.) ELECTRIC SWITCH. No. 517,957. Patented Apr. 10,1894.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ANDREWIT. lvniooor, or BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 517,957, dated April 10, 1894.

Application filed April 13, 1893.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ANDREW. T. MAcGoY, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Electric Switches, of which the following is a specification, referonce-being had to the accompanying drawings.

The obj ect of my invention is to prevent or break the electric arc usually formed on the opening of an electric switch, the invention consisting in interposing material which is .comparatively a non-conductor of electricity and non-combustible between the members or contact points of an electric switch, on opening the switch, as hereinafter set forth and specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, two sheets, Figure 1 is a plan of an electric switch embodying my invention, the switch being closed. Fig. 2 is a plan of the same, the switch being open. Fig. 3 is an elevation of one side of the device as shown in Fig. 2. Figwtis an elevation of the other side as shown in Fig. 1, the levers, stud on which they are pivoted and spring thereon being shown in section. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the device;

On a base A of insulating material is fastened a metallicpiece B, to which are secured a binding post a and a vertical stud b. On this stud is pivoted a lever 0 having at one end a handle 0 of insulating material, and at the other end two prongs cl and c. On this stud is also pivoted another lever D having at the outer end a plate f slightly beveled as shown. A spring g between an abutment or pin h, secured to the stud, and the levers, acts to press the levers one against the other, and both downward onto the base-piece B, thus serving to maintain the levers in true working position. On the base A is also fastened a metallic piece E provided with a binding post 2', and a pivot j, on which is pivoted a lever F which is swung downwardby means of a spring 70. The piece E is extended to form a lower fixed plate 1. Above this plate is another plate m, which is maintained in position by two screws n and springs 0, so that it may be swung slightly'in a vertical direction. On the base A is fastened a stand G to which is pivoted an arm H having a projection p which extends under the lever F. This arm or pro- Serial No. 470,236. (No model.)

jection is of such shape as to be met by the prong d of the lever O and is made, as to a part or the whole, of insulating material. If the base A is of a material somewhat combustible, a piece I of comparatively incombustible material, as asbestus, is secured thereon in such position as to surround sufficiently the plate Z, as shown. To the lever F is fastened a plate g which is also comparatively a non-conductor of electricity and noncombustible, and when down will meet the piece I very near the outer ends of the plates Z and m.

In operation, to close the switch the lever O is swung by hand so as to first cause the prong d to come in contact with the arm H and swing the latter upward so as, by means of the projection 10, to raise the lever F and the plate q fixed thereto. Further movement of the lever 0 causes the pronge to meet and swing'the lever D so that the plate f will enter between the platesl and 1% thus completing the circuit. A reverse movement of the lever O removes the prong d out of contact with the arm I-I, thus allowing the lever F to fall and. the plate (1 to drop onto the plate f, and thereafter when the prongd meets the lever D, the latter being swung thereby, the plate f is removed from between the plates Z and m thus breaking the circuit, and allowing the lever F to fall still farther to carry the plate q downward sufficiently to intervene between the plates Z m and the plate f, that is, between ,the members or contact points of the switch, thus cutting the arc or preventing the same from being prolonged.

I claim as my invention- 1. In an electric switch the combination of two levers, a pivot for the same, and a spring to maintain the levers one upon the other on the pivot, one of the levers being provided with prongs projecting at right angles to the same to meet the other lever and move the latter, substantially as set forth.

2. In an electric switch the combination with the two members thereof of a lever on one member, a contact piece on the other member, 7

for the levers,0ne of the levers being provided that said piece will be caused thereby to enwith prongs by which the other lever is swung, ter between the contact points, substantially IO a plate attached to the latter lever, two plates as described.

between which the former plate enters to com- V 1 7' 5 plete the circuit, and a lever provided with a ANDREW I MAOCOX' piece of comparatively non-conducting and Witnesses: non-combustible material which lever is piv- J. FRANK MIXER,

oted in suitable relation to one of said prongs EDW. DUMMER. 

